Georgia Tech heads into the final stretch before its season opener against Colorado with a defensive staff that sounds far more bullish than it did a year ago. Fall camp is done, and the message coming out of the program has been consistent: the Yellow Jackets believe this group can be better in just about every area on defense.
That confidence has been echoed by Brent Key, Jason Semore and the rest of the defensive coaches, but the real question now is which players have helped fuel it. A handful of defenders made real noise in camp and appear to have raised their standing as the season approaches.
Amontrae Bradford is one of the names to watch on the edge. He has been working in the program since arriving on campus and has steadily grown into a rotation piece, but there’s a sense he may be ready for a bigger jump in 2026.
Semore said early in camp that Georgia Tech was at least three deep on both sides of the edge, and Bradford is part of that mix. Key and defensive line coach Kyle Pope have been encouraged by the progress he has made, and he enters his third season with a chance to put it all together.
At linebacker, Christian Outlaw has pushed himself into the conversation for playing time. Georgia Tech already has two veterans in Kyle Efford and E.J.
Lightsey, and they are expected to soak up plenty of snaps. Even so, Outlaw turned in a strong camp and made a case to contribute in some role this season.
The Jackets didn’t add a linebacker through the transfer portal, a clear sign they believed Outlaw could be an early factor. He backed that up with a strong spring and carried it right into fall camp.
The same portal strategy applied in the secondary, where Georgia Tech stayed put because it liked the talent already on hand. Terrell Harris has been the standout there.
He looks ready for a starting job and brings the kind of versatility that gives a defense options, whether he’s playing near the line of scrimmage or showing his instincts and ball skills in coverage. With Omar Daniels and Clayton Powell-Lee gone after logging so many snaps over the years, Harris is one of the players who has stepped forward to help fill that void.
Up front, Jordan Garrett has also boosted his stock. He flashed during limited action last season, and now that he is healthy, he has carried that promise into camp.
Garrett gives Georgia Tech one of its more flexible pieces on the defensive line, able to line up inside or, in certain situations, outside as well. He should be a regular part of the rotation for a defensive front the Yellow Jackets hope looks much improved.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Still Has Two Big Concerns Heading Into Week 1
Fall camp is over, and Georgia Tech now turns its attention to a season opener at home against Colorado, a rematch of last years game that should offer an early measuring stick for a roster with plenty of turnover. Brent Key has a much different group to work with on both sides of the ball, and the continuity from year to year largely comes from the men on the sideline, with Key and Deion Sanders still in place as head coaches.
Even with camp complete, a couple of the biggest questions around the Yellow Jackets have not gone away. The defense still has key roles to sort out, and the offensive line remains a major point of focus as Tech tries to build a steadier foundation and get off to a fast start. In a game that already carries some familiarity, the first week should say a lot about how ready this team is to make real progress. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Techs New Tight End Signals A More Physical Offensive Plan
Spencer Merman arrived at Georgia Tech with the kind of profile that usually tells you where a coaching staff wants to go next. The Yale transfer has played in 24 games over three seasons and brought with him a reputation built more on blocking than catching passes, even if he did chip in two touchdown receptions in 2025. For a Yellow Jackets offense that wants its tight ends involved in more than just the box score, that makes him a pretty natural fit.
Merman is still sorting through the details of Georgia Techs scheme, where the tight end spots are used differently and the run game sits at the center of everything. He also has had a front-row view of the learning curve that comes with joining a program that expects physical play at the line of scrimmage, especially against the defensive linemen in practice. For a team looking to lean into a tougher offensive identity, that adjustment could matter as much as any catch he makes. [Read more 🡒]